No. 15 Simon Fraser Edged by No. 21 Arizona

TUCSON, AZ (April 17, 2011) – For the second straight game an early deficit would ultimately prove to be the difference, as No. 15 Simon Fraser failed to hang on to a 9-8 third quarter lead, falling 11-10 to No. 21 Arizona after being down 5-0 to start the contest.

Now sitting at 5-8 on the season, all of the Clan's losses remain to opponents ranked in the CollegeLAX Prodigy Top 25, with their one-goal loss to the Laxcats marking only the second time that the Clan have lost to a team outside of the Top 15, since dropping a 12-11 OT decision to No. 12 Utah (then ranked No. 23) on February 25 to start the season.

After turning the ball over on the game's opening possession, a failed riding attempt by the Clan would allow Arizona to take a 1-0 lead early in matchup. The Laxcats would continue to capitalize on SFU breakdowns in their own backend, racing out to an initial 5-0 lead, until Craig's only goal of the contest made it 5-1 at the end of the first quarter.

Fraser would carry the momentum over to the second frame as midfielder Stu Mills (Campbell River, BC/Timberline Secondary) and defender Nathan Clare (Ladner, BC/Vancouver College) scored consecutively to close the Arizona lead to two.

The Laxcats would then get back on the board at 6-3, before Colton Dow once again brought the Clan to within two at 6-4. With time now winding down, an apparent offside call to the Clan would give Arizona the final possession of the half as the Laxcats capitalized on a fast break to take a 7-4 lead into the intermission.

Seemingly frustrated by the late goal, an inspired Clan squad would begin to take form in the third quarter as Craig connected with Ransom on back-to-back plays to make it 7-6 and a one goal game early in the second half. The Laxcats would buy themselves some breathing room at 8-6 before a three-goal run gave SFU their only lead of the game at 9-8 heading in to the final 15:00 minutes.

Trailing for the first time in the game to start the fourth quarter Arizona would even the score at 10-10 before re-taking the lead with just over 5:00 minutes left to play. The Laxcats would then utilize a fast break out of a Clan substitution horn to post an insurance marker at 11-9, before Koesdibyo made it a one goal game at just outside of 3:00 minutes.

Arizona was able to possess the ball under 2:00 minutes, until a turnover caused by the Clan delivered the ball to Craig downfield, who beat several Laxcat defenders on his way to the cage only to be stuffed on the doorstep by senior goaltender Cooper Robbins (Lake Oswego, OR/Lakeridge).

Later getting the ball back in their own end with only 7 seconds left on the clock, a "Gilman" attempt by Clan goaltender Darren Zwack (Sherwood Park, AB/Archbishop Jordan High School) put the ball in front of the Arizona net where a procedure call would give Fraser one last shot from outside the box with now only two seconds remaining. A miraculous finish was not meant to be as the whistle sounded as the ball hit the ground in front of the Laxcat net and Arizona walked away with a one-goal victory.

Robbins was strong in net for Arizona making several quality saves over 60:00 minutes, while Clan sophomore Darren Zwack started consecutive games for the first time this season turning in 11 saves with 11 goals against (.500).

Simon Fraser will be back in action next weekend as they try to retain top spot in the PNCLL North when they play their final two games of the regular season versus divisional rivals University of Washington at UW on Saturday, April 23 and University of Montana back at home on Sunday, April 24 for the Clan's 2011 Senior Day. Arizona will also close out their regular season next weekend when they travel to Tempe to face in-state rival Arizona State University on Saturday, April 23.